With increased emphasis on recycling and re-use, attention has turned to alternatives to disposing of carpet waste in landfills, whether the carpet waste is a result of new carpet production or post-consumer use. As composites may be used in various industrial, construction, and consumer applications requiring tensile strength and resistance to environmental factors including ultraviolet light and insects, for example, efforts are focused on diverting carpet waste from landfills and utilizing the carpet waste in the production of composites. In fact, some studies indicate as much as 6 billion pounds of carpet waste may be deposited in landfills in the United States each year. A need exists for carpet waste composites with acceptable performance that may be efficiently and effectively manufactured.